A Lone Star College-Kingwood student is a finalist for the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship. Carlos Carreon is one of four LSC students who are finalists and the only one from the Kingwood campus.
The Barry Goldwater and Excellence in Education Foundation was established in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the work of Senator Barry Goldwater. He served his country as a soldier and his nation as a senator for 30 years.
The scholarship aims to support students in pursuing research careers in STEM fields.
Carreon says he chose LSC-Kingwood to ensure he could graduate without student debt. He says being a finalist for the scholarship solidifies his belief that LSC was the best decision he could have made.
“There’s an unfortunate stigma related to Junior Colleges which can degrade one’s confidence. I know when I was graduating from high school and people asked where I was going the next couple of years, I was embarrassed to answer truthfully. Having spent these last two years at Lone Star, I know now that I should’ve been proud of choosing to attend Lone Star.”
Carreon is also a member of the Honors College and was awarded the Chancellor’s Fellowship. Through the Rice Take Flight Initiative, he was able to secure an internship offered by Princeton University and spent a summer in the Czech Republic researching biomolecular physics alongside other prestigious universities.
“By the end of my summer, I had contributed to the academic conversation of what can be improved in pharmaceutical research, which invoked in me a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness,” Carreon said. “Lone Star College has provided me with a platform to not only develop as an academic but also discover deep-rooted passions.”
Dr. Mari L. Nicholson-Preuss, Director of The Honors College-Kingwood, praised Carreon for his dedication.
“The nomination criteria for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship are very rigorous, but Carlos planned ahead and took time to understand the process in order to prepare a strong application. We are very proud of his many successes. Additionally, we are also very thankful for the mentorship provided by Dr. Kenneth Abayan—one of our outstanding Honors College faculty.”
Each Goldwater scholar receives an amount up to $7,500 per full academic year. The awardees will be announced in March.
Carreon will graduate in May with an Associates in Science. He plans to transfer to University of Texas and pursue a degree in chemical engineering.
Lone Star College enrolls over 80,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Mario K. Castillo, J.D. serves as Chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area. LSC has been named a 2023 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and recognized by Fortune Magazine and Great Place To Work® as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in Texas™. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit Lonestar.edu.
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